Manoa campus library will operate

In its annual "Best of Honolulu" edition (March 2004, now on newsstands), Honolulu Magazine designates the University of Hawaiʻi‘s Hamilton Library as "the best" — in part because it is open for business so many more hours than the average Hawaiʻi State public library. And now, the library will be open even longer hours — operating around-the-clock three days a week for the remainder of the spring semester.

Beginning Monday, March 8, Hamilton will open its doors at the usual time — 7:30 a.m. — but will remain open for business until Thursday at 11:00 p.m., adding 25.5 hours to the existing schedule.

"We‘re excited about this opportunity to extend our services to students," said University Librarian Diane Perushek. "Thanks to a good lobbying effort by the Graduate Student Organization, and financial support for staff from the Chancellor‘s office, we‘re ready to test the waters and learn more about our customer base."

Data have been gathered from library users over the last two years that indicate demand for additional hours, according to Randy Hensley, library public services division head. "We‘ve compared our current 92.5 hours-per-week schedule with our peer and benchmark institutions, and it looks like we‘re in the mid-range," Hensley said. "With the extra hours, we will now be tracking not only how many and what categories of users take advantage of the additional time, but also what collections and services will be utilized. If students use the facility, we‘d like to make this arrangement permanent."

Adjustments have been made to staffing for security, custodial and other support services to assure a safe, clean and accessible environment. Security guards will be on overnight duty at the facility, and campus security patrol officers have been alerted to the likelihood of increased need for after-hours campus escort services.

Manoa Chancellor Peter Englert has made extended library hours a priority since he came to the campus. An additional 14 hours of library service were added several months ago. "Improving student life — in all aspects — is a high priority for me," Englert said. "That means residential life, extra-curricular activities, and especially easier access to academic resources and support. I hope our students will take advantage of this new opportunity."

Hensley indicated that discussions are underway with the on-campus food service provider — SODEXHO — to locate a coffee and food cart overnight at the library entrance as an added convenience for library patrons. Those plans have yet to be finalized.

From Honolulu Magazine, March 2004 — page 85:

Been awhile since you‘ve gone to the library? It might be because, on average, our state public libraries are open a paltry 36.7 hours per week. Most of them close at 5 p.m., right when you‘re getting off work. There‘s a better choice, though: The University of Hawaiʻi Hamilton Library is open 92.5 hours per week, and closes at 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday and on Sundays. It‘s also bigger — 3.3 million volumes on the Manoa campus alone, compared with 3.2 million in the entire Hawaiʻi public library system. Then there are the week-longer loan periods, extensive public internet stations and specialized holdings, such as the Hawaiian Collection. It‘s all available to the public, with one catch — to check books out, you‘ll need to pay $60 for a yearly community borrower‘s card. The price of a dinner for two, we figure, or the price of a couple of new hardcover books. Not too bad, for a library you can actually use. 2550 McCarthy Mall, UH Manoa campus, 956-7205.